“The social and economic benefits of delaying parenthood more than compensate for the ageing reproductive system,” said Prof Mirowsky, who led the research. You’d have thought it was obvious, really.

But what about men, I hear you cry? Well, men’s fertility starts to deteriorate at around age 35, apparently. No cause for panic, obviously, but isn’t it interesting how closely those ages match? Please let this be the end of biological clock scaremongering aimed solely at women.

But seriously, when is the best time to have a child? Whenever you choose to, if at all. Which brings me on to another recent story: a 20 year old Scottish woman, who had an abortion when she was 16, is suing a hospital trust because the procedure failed, leaving her with one child to care for but also to financially support. She had decided almost immediately not to go through with the pregnancy, and the abortion took place at 6 weeks. Incidentally, at this stage, the embryo/foetus is the size of a baked bean. Just thought I’d mention it.

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